1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing bait, and, more particularly, to a device for protecting the front face of a plug-cut herring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common and highly effective fishing bait is formed by severing the head of a herring at a predetermined angle, and then threading the resulting plug with a leader terminating in a single hook or a pair of hooks imbedded in the body of the plug. The head is severed so that the front face of the plug lies along a plane which intersects the longitudinal axis of the herring at 45.degree. when viewed from both the top and side. This particular angle of cut causes the plug to resemble the swimming motion of a wounded fish as the plug is towed through the water. A particular problem with the use of plug-cut herring is that the front face of the plug quickly becomes deformed and begins to separate. Initially the only problem encountered with this deformation is that the plug no longer resembles the actual motion of a wounded fish with any degree of accuracy. Subsequently, however, as the plug begins to separate and desintegrate the plug tends to become easily detached from the leader. Consequently, plug-cut herring as conventionally used effectively simulates a live wounded fish for only a limited period of time, and the plug is easily detached from the leader.
Although bait protectors which cover or enclose the forward portion of bait are in conventional use, these protectors are not provided for the purpose of maintaining a predetermined shape of the bait but rather to either support a hook within the bait or to maintain the gills and mouth of a whole fish closed in order to keep it from being deformed.